NM health exchange tries to ease problems with Obamacare website

STOP GAP: To ease problems people have experienced with the troubled federal health care website, officials in New Mexico have linked to a page that gives customers a chance to at least get an idea what’s being offered.

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog

SANTA FE – After 10 days and with thousands of New Mexicans unable to log onto the federal website, state insurance officials have posted a static page, allowing people to at least get an idea about what Affordable Care Actoptions are available.

For example, on three different occasions, between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8, New Mexico Watchdog was unable to get past the security questions on the www.healthcare.gov site. On Thursday night, NM Watchdog was turned back for a fourth time — 10 days into the Oct. 1 rollout.

By contrast, the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchangewebsite — www.bewellnm.com, which handles small businesses and their employees in the state but not individual claims — has reported signing up 558 employers and just fewer than 1,200 of their employees as new customers.

The link takes potential customers to a page showing companies in New Mexico that offer individual policies and price listings.

But premiums and coverage plans depend on individual circumstances and require signing up with the ACA plan through the federal government.

The link “at least provides some basic information,” Ezekiel said. “It will not only have rates but also, for each plan, it will have little blocks to describe (what is offered) and a PDF of their summary of benefits.”

“Yes, I’d like it to be up,” Ezekiel said. “I’m very frustrated but this is trivial growing pains in the big picture … The truth is, people who want insurance are going to come back.”

Next year, the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange will handleindividual policies, with enrollment starting in October 2014 and policies going into effect in January 2015.

“I am very hopeful and confident that a year from now — at least for New Mexicans — when (the NMIX runs things) that problem will no longer exist,” NMIX consumer advocate Dr. Deane Waldman told New Mexico Watchdog earlier this week. “At this point, all I can say is, ‘Sorry, but next year we’ll take care of you.’ ”

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nilsmontan

Well, it’s Saturday morning and after 12 days of trying to get health insurance through the Federal website I am exhausted and frustrated with it. I am a Democrat, but maybe the Libertarians are right. The Federal Gov. doesn’t seem to have a clue.

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